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tju_tju_tju_tjuOkay, so I just finished reading The Host, and I have to say -- I'm actually quite impressed with it!
I went into this book with a very clear prejudice, but honestly? This book was just GOOD. It doesn't even matter that Stephenie Meyer was the one who wrote it; it's just a good, enjoyable, fascinating science fiction/dystopian novel that has so much emotion in it, and also a great message about humanity. The concept itself is fascinating as well, and the different worlds were very imaginative and interesting. And the characters felt so REAL. It's long, but I think the length is necessary. Lots of development was necessary to get the humans and Wanda to the point where they needed to be.
But, that's not to say I didn't have my problems with it.
I think Meyer likes writing these heroines that are just so self-sacrificing that it's basically a major character flaw. It got really annoying sometimes, although you knew that it would all ultimately be beneficial and get the humans to trust her.
But after all of that build-up of self-sacrifice and Wanda's absolute love for Melanie and the human race in general -- the end fucking SUCKED. Another thing Meyer seems to feel the need to do is make sure absolutely everyone is happy and everything fits all in place together nicely, when this book would've had so much more meaning and depth to it if Wanda had just been able to "kill herself" rather than having the humans stick her inside another body (and a fragile one at that, too, which ticked me off considerably, especially the way everyone was treating her like a breakable doll). It would've been sad, yes, but it was the best ending. And I'm not one of those people who always need tragic endings; Wanda being buried in the earth would've just been so heartbreaking and moving and it would've made such a bigger impact than the deux ex machina happy ending that the book actually had. Ugh. Pissed me OFF.
But despite the problems I had with it, I definitely recommend this book. Meyer's writing has improved in this, I'd say, and since the romance isn't the focal point of the story it makes it much better than it would have been if it had. I think Meyer should try writing novels that have no romance in them at all -- even though Wanda/Ian pwns everything EVER.
I went into this book with a very clear prejudice, but honestly? This book was just GOOD. It doesn't even matter that Stephenie Meyer was the one who wrote it; it's just a good, enjoyable, fascinating science fiction/dystopian novel that has so much emotion in it, and also a great message about humanity. The concept itself is fascinating as well, and the different worlds were very imaginative and interesting. And the characters felt so REAL. It's long, but I think the length is necessary. Lots of development was necessary to get the humans and Wanda to the point where they needed to be.
But, that's not to say I didn't have my problems with it.
I think Meyer likes writing these heroines that are just so self-sacrificing that it's basically a major character flaw. It got really annoying sometimes, although you knew that it would all ultimately be beneficial and get the humans to trust her.
But after all of that build-up of self-sacrifice and Wanda's absolute love for Melanie and the human race in general -- the end fucking SUCKED. Another thing Meyer seems to feel the need to do is make sure absolutely everyone is happy and everything fits all in place together nicely, when this book would've had so much more meaning and depth to it if Wanda had just been able to "kill herself" rather than having the humans stick her inside another body (and a fragile one at that, too, which ticked me off considerably, especially the way everyone was treating her like a breakable doll). It would've been sad, yes, but it was the best ending. And I'm not one of those people who always need tragic endings; Wanda being buried in the earth would've just been so heartbreaking and moving and it would've made such a bigger impact than the deux ex machina happy ending that the book actually had. Ugh. Pissed me OFF.
But despite the problems I had with it, I definitely recommend this book. Meyer's writing has improved in this, I'd say, and since the romance isn't the focal point of the story it makes it much better than it would have been if it had. I think Meyer should try writing novels that have no romance in them at all -- even though Wanda/Ian pwns everything EVER.
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Date: 2008-06-17 01:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-19 07:55 am (UTC)